About Me

I bought an older home that wasn't plumbed for the appliances found in most modern kitchens. I didn't have the water and drain lines that I needed for a dishwasher and I knew that I couldn't live without one. I didn't have the waterlines I needed for a refrigerator with an ice maker and water dispenser, but that I could probably live without. Then, I started thinking, why should I make sacrifices on the things that I genuinely wanted in my kitchen? This blog will show you what it takes to upgrade the plumbing in older homes to accommodate the appliances of today.

Summer presents a few unique situations that tend to create what are known as "summer plumbing problems." Here are a few common summer plumbing problems, as well as the steps that you can take to avoid these issues from cropping up and interrupting your summertime.

#1 Clogged Up Garbage Disposal

Garbage disposals tend to get clogged more frequently in the summer when people try to put more fruit and vegetable peels down the garbage disposal. They also seem to get clogged when lots of people are over, such as when you're hosting a summer party at your home.

Luckily this is a summer plumbing problem that is really easy to avoid. Create a compost bucket for all of your vegetable and fruit scraps. Encourage your family to scrape off their food scraps into the garbage. When you host events, put out lots of trash cans and use disposable plates so people are more likely to throw away their plates instead of try to rinse them off in the sink. You can also tape over the garbage disposal switch so no one is tempted to use it.

Your garbage disposal should really only be used to get rid of food scraps that you can't get off your plates, pots and pans. It should be a backup method to get rid of food in your sink, not your primary method of dealing with food scraps.

#2 Clogged Up Toilets

Another thing that tends to get clogged up more often during the summertime is the toilet, especially if you have kids who are at home more during the summertime and are using the toilet more.

Remind your children that the only thing that should go down the toilet is toilet paper. If you have teenage daughters who have started to menstruate, consider putting a trash can with a lid in the bathroom to provide them with a more private way of getting rid of their menstruation products. Make sure your daughters understand that tampons as well as pads can't go down the toilet.

Make sure that you have a plunger next to each toilet in your house. That way, if anything every gets clogged, you have the tools to deal with it right away.

Avoid getting a clogged sink due to the garbage disposal or a clogged up toilet this summer by implementing the tips above and getting your family to work with you to avoid any summer plumbing problems. If you do need plumbing repairs, however, it's best to be as proactive as possible by having your home checked out midsummer.